Buzzed after win

BACOLOD City – The word "win" is rarley used in a sentence together with the "Philippine national football team" – with the country having been "the whipping boys of Asia,"

After yesterday's raucous 4-2 win over Cambodia in the 23 rd Southeast Asian Games (Seag) yesterday, national coach Aries Caslib had to contend with tough questions from the press.

"When was the last win by the Philippines in the Seag?" he was asked.

"I really don't know," he said. One said it was in the '91 Seag, when the team qualified to the semifinals for the first time, while another said it was in 1995.

A check in the Aseanfootball.com website showed that the Philippines, now christened the Azkals, defeated Brunei 1-0 for its last win.

Then Caslib got asked, "When was the last time the Philippines scored four goals in a game?"

He got stumped, "I'm not old enough to answer that question," said the 36-year-old coach.

The euphoria over the win must have clouded Caslib's memory, in the Pre-Seag tourney last September in Bangkok, Thailand, the Philippines , with Caslib coaching, defeated East Timor 4-1. Emilio Caligdong, who scored the fourth goal yesterday, also scored in that game, along with Jerome Orcullo, Peter Jaugan and Jose Ombos.

Meanwhile, Chelsea FC reserves Philip and James Younghusband has earned a following from the infatuated Bacoleñas, getting shrieks everytime he passes by the grandstand. Team caption Ali Borromeo was also mobbed by autograph seekers, who rushed to the press room after seeing him, while Caligdong's signature suddenly become in demand.

A nice change in a country addicted to basketball.

"You have goosebumps everytime you touch the ball, the last time I felt like this it was in Malaysia , and they (crowd) were all Malaysians," Borromeo said.

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